PBP: The All-Inclusive 2012 European Championships Thread

Did you load up on the Twinkies and Mountain Dew?

Deutschland ueber alles

Deutschland ueber alles

Winner: Germany
Runner up: Netherlands
Surprise team: Croatia
Biggest disappointments: Italy

You vill lose.

Italy is already a disappointment so that is kind of a moot point. So I think Portugal will be the biggest flop, despite Crissy Ronaldo's hype. He is so pretty, isn't he?

My semis are Germany over France and Netherlands over Spain. Germany winners.

England may as well pack it up. I personally don't see them advancing. All the injuries + Rooney out for the two difficult matches (FRA and SWE) and now England lose Jermaine Defoe. His father passed so he went home.

England vs France, first group game of the tournament for both teams, neither looking to lose. My prediction is a tie
England vs Sweden, we beat them last year (without Rooney, in fact only 6 of the starting 11 are in the squad), but have a terrible record against them in tournaments, I think we might scrape a tie.
England vs Ukraine, I can only hope that Ukraine have only pride to play for. so we might get the W.

I think 5 points will be enough to get through, but it will be dependent on the other results and it could come down to goal difference (basically the score aginst Ukraine might decide it).

OR

LLL - which is something I would not rule out either. It is one of those situations where I have no idea what we will do.

I will say this, Hodgson will make sure we are set up well and will be difficult to beat.

You play for England? Shouldn't you be keeping an eye on your wife in case John Terry feels frisky?

Ouch.... much like when the Crew had Harkes, eh?

I am glad that you read every word of my post

Sense of humor is not your forte, eh?

no, you misunderstand, I got it, just forgot to laugh that's all. I am sure I will be in fits of giggles later on today.

The report I read says he will be coming back for the group games. Not that I love England's chances anyways. I have a good feeling about France. Anyone picking Spain is picking against history.

Ah, okay. Thanks for the correction.

Doesn't really impact my QF list. I still had them finishing 3rd in the group anyways.

I feel the same way about the Euros that I do about the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. It's always the same teams in contention, and I don't really care about any of them.

That said, if a dark horse makes a run like Turkey's in '08, may interest may be piqued. Any Cinderella predictions?

It is certainly the most competitive tournament. No real dregs except for maybe Poland who likely would not have qualified save for being hosts. Makes for some nice casual viewing. Hopefully the soccer is good.

Denmark would be a team I would say might make a splash, though hard to say that the FIFA 9th ranked team is a Cinderella. That group is just loaded. Portugal at 10 might be the highest FIFA ranked 4th best team in a group in either the WC or UEFA championship ever. With all those teams being so good and wanting to advance the Danes might just be able to play spoiler and move on.

Always? The Greece v Portugal in '04 Final ring a bell? Denmark in '92? This one of all the big tournaments can provide the big surprises. I agree that the usual teams end up rising in the end but you do get some stunners.

For soccer, it ends up a lot of times being about the anti-Cinderella. Those teams who should beat the shit out of you every time and then lay a complete egg, like France in '08, Germany, Italy and Spain in '04.

Some cool ass Did You Knows:

• In 1960, Spain withdrew from their quarterfinal match against the USSR because they weren’t a bunch of Commies. USSR ended up winning the tournament, whose notable absentees were England, West Germany and Italy.
• Greece withdrew from the 1964 tournament because they were drawn against Albania, with whom they were at war.
• The 1968 tournament was hosted and won by Italy. For the first and only time a match was decided on a coin toss (the semi-final against the Soviet Union) and the final went to a replay, after the match against Yugoslavia finished 1–1. Italy won the replay 2–0. Final word is pending on whether or not Italy cheated on the coin toss.
• The Golden Boot for the first 3 EUROs (’60, ’64 and ’68) finished the tournament with 2 goals each. The ’60 Boot was shared between 5 people, the ’64 between 3 and there was only ONE multiple goal scorer in EURO ’68.
• There has not been a third place game since Czechoslovakia beat Italy in a shootout in 1980.
• Despite all their international success, Brazil has yet to lift the trophy.
• 9 teams have won. Germany with 3, Spain and France with 2, and USSR, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark and Greece each have a solo effort. Yugoslavia were runners-up twice and Belgium and Portugal have been bridesmaids once.
• Hosts have only won 3 times (Spain ’64, Italy ’68 and France ’84)
• All-time leading goal scorer in EURO history in Michel Platini with 9. All of those came in the ’84 tournament.
• This is only the second appearance for Ireland. The other was in ’88.
• Denmark initially failed to qualify for the 1992 finals, but were invited to play when Yugoslavia were thrown out because of their civil war. They won it.

I am sure some plastic fanboy of Spain has screamed that fact as proof that Brazil sucks, geography be damned

The Euros was also the birthplace of the Panenka penalty

Republic of Ireland

Way to rep yourself, Poland

http://espnfc.com/us/en/news/1089999/dutch-players-hear-racist-chants.html